Engineered microbial platform confers resistance against heavy metals via phosphomelanin biosynthesis

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 4836 - 15
• Main Authors: Ren, Xiaokang, Zhao, Luyang, Shen, Jintao, Zhou, Peng, Zhao, Kaili, Yuan, Chengqian, Xing, Ruirui, Yan, Xuehai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 24.05.2025; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 119/118; 140/131; 140/58; 147/135; 147/143; 631/326/2522; 631/61/168; 631/61/318; 631/92/603; Biodegradation, Environmental; Bioengineering; Biosynthesis; Effectiveness; Engineers; Environmental protection; Environmental stress; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Genetic Engineering; Heavy metals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Melanin; Melanins - biosynthesis; Metabolic Engineering - methods; Metallizing; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Microorganisms; Monophenol Monooxygenase - genetics; Monophenol Monooxygenase - metabolism; multidisciplinary; Plastic debris; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Tyrosinase
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60117-5

Environmental concerns are increasingly fueling interest in engineered living materials derived from microbial sources. Melanin biosynthesis in microbes, particularly facilitated by recombinant tyrosinase expression, offers sustainable protection for the habitat of microorganisms against severe environmental stressors. However, there exists a vast urgency to optimize these engineered microbial platforms, which will amplify their protective capabilities, integrate multifaceted functions, and thereby expand their utility and effectiveness. Here, we genetically engineer microbial platforms capable of endogenously biosynthesizing phosphomelanin, a unique phosphorus-containing melanin. The ability to heterogeneously biosynthesize phosphomelanin endows the microbes with enhanced resistance to heavy metals, thus safeguarding their survival in adverse conditions. Furthermore, we upgrade these engineered microbes by integrating PET-degrading enzymes, thereby achieving effective integrated management of metallized plastic waste. This engineered microbial platform, with its phosphomelanin biosynthetic capabilities, presents significant opportunities for microbes to engage in bioengineering manufacturing, potentially serving as the next-generation guardians against global ecological challenges. Heavy metals and plastics are two major environmental pollutants. Here, the authors engineer microbial platforms capable of endogenously biosynthesizing phosphomelanin for simultaneously heavy metals adsorption and plastics degradation.